Device to prevent bed wetting



June 30, 1936.

c. L. MCCLELLAN ,046,080

DEVICE TO PREVENT BED WETTING Filed Sept. 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l aLmai elzm INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 30, 1936. c. L. M CLELLAN 2,046,080

' DEVICE TO PREVENT BED WETTING Filed Sept. 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESS ATTORNEY Patented June 30, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICETO PREVENT BED WETTING Clarence L. McClellan, Kerrville, Tex.

Application September 30, 1935, Serial No. 42,927

lClaims.

This inventionrelates to a device to prevent bed wetting by a child or infant while asleep and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which is readily adapt- 5 ed to a child for automatically waking a child should voiding begin so that the child will immediately gain control and thereby prevent soiling of the bedding as well as the childs garments.

Another object of this invention is the pro- 10 vision of means whereby the device may be employed in connection with an electrical signal to bring about actuation of the latter should the child void so that the childs attendant will be immediately informed so that the childs clothing 15 may be changed and the child bathed to prevent discomfort and unsanitary conditions to exist, thus adapting the device especially for infants use.

With these and other objects in view, this in- 20 vention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention,

25 reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view showing a device to prevent bed wetting and constructed in accordance with my invention.

30 Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, showing the device in a set position.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the device in a released position.

3 Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view showing the cover applied to the device.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an opening in the cover to permit fluid to enter the device for the actuation thereof.

Figure 6 is a perspective View illustrating means of supporting the device to a child.

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of frame or support so that the device may be adapted to the female sex.

45 Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral l indicates a rigid mounting or support of channeled construction including a wall 2 and walls 3' disposed angularly to the wall 2 and to which is secured a shaft 3. The shaft is ar- 50 ranged substantially intermediate the ends of the mounting and has journaled thereon a trigger member 4 projecting to opposite sides of the.

shaft and terminating at one end in a circularshaped contact 5 and its opposite end terminat- 55 ing in a circular-shaped retaining member 0.

The contacti cooperates with a fixed contact I in completing an electric circuit of an alarm which will be hereinafter more fully described. The retaining member 6 of thetrigger element 4 cooperates with a seat 8 on the mounting in rea taining a dissolvable element 9 in position. The dissolvable element 9 acts to position the trigger element 4 to disengage the contact 5 from the contact I while springs l act to urge the trigger element to engage the contacts and 'I. The 10 springs III are mounted on the shaft 3 and each has one end connected to .the mounting and the other end connected to the trigger element 4. The element 9 while shown in disc formation may be of any desirable shape and is preferably made of material which will quickly dissolve when subjected to a very limited amount of liquid or moisture.

The trigger element 4 contacts one end of a pivotally mounted catch l I while the opposite end thereof is in the form of. a bill l2 to engage with a hingedly mounted keeper l3. The keeper journals on the shaft 3 and is adapted to be brought into engagement with the bill H of the catch II and over a spring. actuated striker I4, the latter consisting of a V-shaped portion terminating in spring coils l8 each having an extension anchored to the mounting I, as shown at IT. .The normal tendency of the striker I4 is to move outwardly of the mounting and is retained therein by being overlain by the keeper l3 when in engagement with the catch II, the latter being held against pivotal movement by the trigger element 4 held in non-circuit closing position by the dissolvable element 9.

Jacks l8 are suitably secured to the mounting l and one of said jacks has the contact I electrically connected directly thereto while the other jack is electrically connected to the contact 5 by a. conductor l9 which will permit said contact 5 to have free movement towards and from the contact 1. The jacks it are of conventional construction and have detachably connected thereto contact or terminal tips 20 to which conductors 2| of an electric alarm circuit 2| are connected. The electric circuit includes an electrical signal or alarm and the circuit is opened or closed by the disengagement and the engagement of the contacts 5 and l.

The edges of the walls 3' of the mounting have secured thereto cushion strips 22 and surrounding the mounting is a suitable cover 23 readily removable therefrom and is provided with an opening 24 disposed opposite the dissolvable element 9 so that moisture or liquid may be admitted to said element 9 to bring about dissolving thereof and bring about the actuation of the device.

The ends of the mounting I are equipped with attaching elements 24' each terminating in an eye 25. The attaching elements 2| are arranged in pairs, one pair having connected .thereto a flexible element 26, while the other pair hasattached thereto the ends of a waist encircling strap 21 or a child's garment 28. This garment can be of any desired construction, preferably in the form including the waist encircling strap 2? connected to a buttock covering 29 to which is secured a crotch strap 30, the end of which is detachably secured to the flexible member 26 so that the mounting will be supported vertically to the child with the opening 24 of the cover disposed next to the child so that should the child void while asleep, the liquid will immediately contact and dissolve the element 9, setting the device in operation. As soon as the striker I4 is released from a set position, it hits the cover with sumcient force and the latter being in direct contact with the child will awaken the child to permit the child gaining control of the voiding. The cover may be constructed of any suitable flexible material. The mounting l is preferably designed for the male sex while the mounting 3| is designed for the female sex and is clearly shown in Figure '7 as being arcuately curved so as to fit the crotch of the child.

The device besides awakening the child may be employed for sounding an alarm by having the conductors is connected to the jacks whereby the electric circuit is closed when the contacts 5 and l engage. This will notify the childs attendant and permit the attendant to give immediate attention to the child.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. A device to prevent child bed wetting comprising a mounting, means for attaching said mounting to a child, a spring driven means carried by said mounting and adapted when released to strike the child for the awakening of the latter, and means releasably retaining said spring driven means in a set position and actuated by the engagement of liquid therewith.

2. A device to prevent child bed wetting comprising a mounting, means for attaching said mounting to a child, a spring driven means carried by said mounting and adapted when released to strike the child for the awakening of the latter, means releasably retaining said spring driven means in a set position and actuated by the engagement of liquid therewith, and means actuated by said third means for closing an electric alarm circuit.

' 3. A device to prevent child bed wetting comising a mounting, means for attaching said mounting to a child, a spring driven striker carried by said mounting and adapted when released to engage a child with force for the awakening of said child. a catch mechanism for releasably retaining the striker in set position and including a spring drive, and liquid dissolvable means retaining said catch mechanism means against actuation.

4. A device to prevent bed wetting comprising a mounting, means for attaching said mounting to a child, a spring driven striker carried by said mounting and adapted to engage a child with force for the awakening thereof when released, a catch mechanism for releasably retaining said striker in a set position, and a spring driven means engageable with the catch mechanism and including a moisture dissolvable element for freeing the catch mechanism.

5. A device to prevent bed wetting comprising a mounting, a supporting means for said mounting, a spring driven striker carried by said mounting, a catch mechanism for retaining the striker in a set position, a spring driven catch holding means and including a circuit maker and breaker,

and a dissolvable element for retaining said last.

means in set position.

6. A device to prevent bed wetting comprising a mounting, a spring driven striker carried by said mounting, a catch mechanism for retaining the striker in a set position, a spring driven catch holding means and including a circuit maker and breaker, a dissolvable element for retaining said last means in set position, and a body encircling element for securing the mounting to a child.

7. A device to prevent bed wetting comprising a mounting, a spring driven striker carried by said mounting, a catch mechanism for retaining the striker in a set position, a spring driven catch holding means and including a circuit maker and breaker, a dissolvable element for retaining said last means in set position, a body encircling element for securing the mounting to a child, and a flexible covering for said mounting and having an opening for the admittance of liquid to the dissolvable element. A

CLARENCE L. MCCLEILAN. 

